Thursday, April 23

Orange Blossom Paradise

I don't know if paradise exists, but I do know that if it does, then it smells like orange blossoms.

Orange blossoms, like lemon blossoms, have a unique, ethereal scent: it's intoxicatingly sweet like the smell of a newborn babe and clean and fresh like a crisp spring day. It's feminine. Romantic. Beautiful. It's paradise.

Many parts of Southern California are currently ripe with the fragrance of orange blossoms; equally exciting is the fruit itself. Right now navel, Valencia, and blood oranges are widely available. So if you find yourself in Southern California any time between now and June, hop in a car and explore some back country roads where you'll find orange, lemon, and grapefruit groves alongside avocado groves and strawberry farms. The last couple of weekends Jeff and I have visited numerous San Diego regions that are bursting with deliciously ripe fruit trees.

Since I got shooed away by a grumpy farm worker at this gorgeous grove on the way to Idyllwild, I couldn't get an up-close shot of the blossoms. So I'd recommend gazing at this beauty on Flickr.

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite meals: stir-fried tofu, asparagus, sugar snap peas, and orange slices bathed in a honey-orange-ginger glaze on brown rice. It's one of those "healthy" dishes -- high in vitamins A and C, fiber, and protein-- that tastes so good, you forget it's good for you. Paradise.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Once hot, add tofu and saute until browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook asparagus and sugar snap peas for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan over low heat, whisk all ingredients from orange juice to corn starch. As soon as it begins to thicken, it's done. In the skillet with the cooked tofu, add the asparagus, sugar snap peas, glaze, orange slices, and herbs. Toss until well coated.

You probably could have reasoned with the farmworker, but I bet he didn't speak Italian ;) Your salad looks great except that I've tried and tried and just can't warm up to tofu. I don't hate it, I just can't bring myself to eat it when I could be eating something else. LOL

It makes me think of trips to Disney World as a child...driving through the orange groves and stopping at the orange tower and buying a tiny bottle of orange blossom perfume. I don't know if they have that in Cali, but I can still smell it. This recipe looks delicious.

I want to fly down to So.Cal. right now just to smell the orange blossoms. That grove is just beautiful. I adore oranges, and I love how versatile they are. Case and point: your wonderful tofu and veggies with orange. Delicious!!